RAIN may be dampening parts of Metro Manila, but organizers of the Manila International Book Fair (MIBF) remain optimistic about drawing up to 140,000 visitors during its five-day run.
Tinette Capistrano, vice president of Prime Trade Asia, the organizer of MIBF, told the BusinessMirror that they are targeting between 130,000 and 140,000 attendees this year, compared with the 123,000 visitors recorded in 2025.
‘I hope the rain will not discourage people from visiting the fair,’ she said.
The MIBF 2026, themed ‘Get Lit: Reading in a New Light,’ runs from September 9 to 13 at the SMX Convention Center in Pasay City, with more than 165 exhibitors occupying the venue’s expansive exhibition spaces and offering books across over 60 categories.
The fair also features book discounts, author signings and interactive showcases from local and international publishers, while several exhibitors have expanded their presence through upgraded booths across the first and second floors.
Beyond attendance, Capistrano said organizers are also aiming for a strong showing in sales, with the goal of helping exhibitors meet their respective targets during the five-day event.
The lineup includes major bookstore chains and educational publishers such as Fully Booked and National Book Store, alongside 19th Avenida Publishing House, Abiva Publishing House, Adarna House, Anvil Publishing and Ateneo de Manila University Press.
Other participating exhibitors include CandE Adaptive Learning Solutions, Central Book Supply, Lampara Publishing House, Megatexts Phil., Milflores Publishing, Rex Education, Scholastic Philippines and the Vibal Group.
Comic and contemporary fiction titles are also represented by Comic Odyssey, Komiket Studios, Precious Pages, Psicom Publishing and Summit Publishing, while religious and inspirational works are featured by Bayard Assumption Media Foundation, Claretian Communications Foundation, OMF Literature, Paulines and St. Pauls.
Apart from books, including novels, comics and textbooks, the event also features educational and creative products such as learning materials, educational technology, stationery, journals and art supplies.
‘We’ve been organizing this for over 30 years. So, we’ve already [built] an established brand. And we’ve maintained good relationships with our clients,’ she said, adding that word of mouth has also helped sustain interest in the event.
The MIBF is organized by Prime Trade Asia Inc. in cooperation with the Asian Catholic Communicators Inc., Book Development Association of the Philippines, Overseas Publishers Representatives’ Association of the Philippines, Philippine Booksellers Association Inc., and Philippine Educational Publishers Association, with support from the National Book Development Board and My Teacher, My Hero.
‘People think that reading is boring. It’s not,’ Capistrano noted. ‘Reading takes you to a different level, a different world. It’s the only thing you can do at peace with yourself. Travel in your own pace. And it never gets out of style.’